Safer Cycling and the Urban Road Environment study

Welcome

Welcome to the ‘Safer Cycling and the Urban Road Environment’ study. We are currently recruiting cyclists to take part in our study. Please follow the link below to participate if:

You have been given one of the ‘Safer Cycling’ study slapbands while out on the road OR

You participate in bunch/ peloton riding in Perth and have heard about the study elsewhere.

What is the ‘Safer Cycling’ study?

Curtin University, in partnership with Monash University are undertaking an exciting new study examining cycling in the urban road environment. The findings of this study will be used to develop prototypes for new road designs aimed at improving cyclist safety. The study also aims to gain an understanding of issues surrounding group and bunch cycling.

What does participation involve?

All cyclists who have received a slapband or participate in bunch/ peloton riding are invited to complete an online survey about you, your cycling habits and behaviours, road use, bicycle infrastructure and safety

You may then be invited to participate in a follow-up study which involves attaching video cameras to your bicycle to record your cycling trips for a two week period.

Bunch/ peloton riders may also be invited to participate in a telephone interview about your bunch riding participation and experience.

Complete the online survey here

The ‘Safer Cycling’ study: in detail

Funding

This study is funded by the Australian Research Council and is being conducted in Perth through the Curtin-Monash Accident Research Centre (C-MARC), Curtin University and in Melbourne through the Monash University Accident Research Centre (MUARC), Monash University.

Other sponsors include Main Roads Western Australia, the Amy Gillett Foundation, the Cycling Promotion Fund, VicRoads and the Transport Accident Commission.

Study Phases

The ‘Safer Cycling’ study consists of four phases. The research described above makes up Phase 2 of the study.

Phase 2 involves the recruitment of control cyclists from intersections near to the crash sites identified in Phase 1. Cyclists will complete an online survey and may record two weeks of video footage while riding their bikes. Crash sites from Phase 1 and non-crash sites recorded on video in Phase 2 will be compared to investigate the role of road design factors in cyclist crashes.

Phase 3 involves the development of prototypes for safer road designs for cyclists.

Phase 4 will test these road designs in cycling and driving simulators.

What are the benefits?

The information gained from this study will lead to the design and testing of safer road designs for cyclists. From this, solutions that reduce the risk of road trauma for cyclists will be discovered.

Study approval

This study has been approved by Curtin University Human Research Ethics Committee (Approval number HR 189/2013). The committee is comprised of members of the public, academics, lawyers, doctors and pastoral carers. If needed, verification of approval can be obtained by either writing to the Human Research Ethics Committee, C/O Office of Research and Development, Curtin University, GPO Box U1987, Perth, 6845 or by telephoning 9266 9223 or emailing hrec@curtin.edu.au.

More information?

If you would like more information about the study please contact our researchers at C-MARC, Curtin University: